A Trickster's Quest
by lovestorywithatwist
Summary: Ash and Meghan finally found their happy ending. But what happens to Puck, the Seelie trickster? Does he ever find his own happy ending? (used to be 'Puck's Story' on my old account, under the name MissCedarbridge). Currently on a short hiatus as I finish other stories.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

**Author's Note: **This was originally posted on my old account, under the name MissCedarbridge, with the title "Puck's Story". I will now be posting/updating the story on this account. Also, I love any sort of feedback on my writing if you have the time. Thanks!

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My name is Robin Goodfellow. More commonly known as Puck – yes, _the_ Puck – the original trickster of the faeries, the daring adventurer, the one who always seems to screw things up...

Yup, that's me. And as I flew away from my one and only happy ending, I couldn't help thinking that at least this time I screwed up my life, not someone else's. It was hard, though, moving away from the one thing I really wanted. Hard to think that the next time I saw Meghan and Ash, they were a package deal, and there was no hope for me. After the journey through dark forests and other places, most of which seemed to slip my mind the second I thought of them, I had become closer to Ash as a friend. I think he finally forgave me for… For past mistakes, and in return I was able to let Meghan go. Well, sort of. I still loved her. I always would, no matter what she thought of me. But she deserved, above everything, her happy ending – and that included a certain dark, Unseelie prince, not me. It was a piercing thought that made my chest ache (even as a bird) but I knew it was true.

The only reason I kept beating my glossy black raven wings was because I cared too much about both of them. Hah, look at that – Robin Goodfellow was going soft. Somehow I couldn't regret my decisions, though. I think I always secretly knew how it would turn out. Ash once said that he was cursed when it came to love, but he really has no idea.

I let out an anguished caw, spiralling down from the sky. All the things I'd messed up - especially the lives of those I'd loved – haunted me. Flashes of both Ariella and Meghan flashed through my head, making it impossible to think straight. I had to land, to let myself calm down. I could lie; I could say I was fine, that life would go on. I suppose it wasn't completely untrue, because life would go on. I just didn't know whether or not I could manage to keep going with it at the moment.

I tucked my wings, diving down through the air until I shed my feathers rapidly and became a faery again. I only barely registered I had landed in the Wyldwood, not pausing to care. I collapsed against a large tree, my eyes closed as the horrors of my past crashed down on me. A waterfall of images refused to stop, falling in front of my eyelids, not slowing even once they shut. Mistake after mistake popped up, taunting me. Voices blurred together, creating a swirl of chaos and hurt in my mind.

I don't know how long I stood there, mourning those of my past. I became a part of the forest; still and quiet. I wasn't sure how many other fey saw me. I didn't care, really, as I let my insides be torn apart by dark thoughts. If I didn't stop to let it all out I knew I wouldn't be able to move on. It was difficult mostly because I knew that now I was truly and utterly alone. Not even that damned cat was around. I was so used to being on some great mission, a quest to save the world, or a heart, or a soul, but now…? I was just Oberon's faithful (well, mostly) servant in the end with no hope for love. What a pathetically dramatic, tragic end to my story.

A sudden swish from the bushes in front of me forced the despair from my mind. I looked up warily, grabbing daggers from my boots. I was really _not_ in the mood right now for fighting. I hoped my less-than-pleased expression alone might scare off whatever fey it was that insisted on annoying me. The bushes rustled again, however, louder this time. I stiffened, raising my daggers in front of my face. My demeanour changed in less than a second, going from heartbroken to attentive, then to deadly. I couldn't afford to mourn whilst something could possibly attack, no matter how much my insides ached. The instantaneous switch from pathetically emotional to pure fey was amazing. I couldn't help thinking, though, that whatever was moving around in the underbrush must be either extremely stupid – one did not simply wander the Wyldwood, bringing attention to oneself by rustling everything in the forest – or more powerful than me. Not even goblins were that stupid though, so the first option didn't look great.

I took a step towards the bushes, sticking my daggers out before me. My eyes scanned the places between the leaves and twigs, searching warily for a flash of something, anything-

And out of nowhere, a figure flung itself towards me with a loud shriek. I stepped nimbly out of the way and, acting on instinct, and twirled with a flourish of one dagger, bringing the weapon down towards whatever had attacked me. I barely stopped in time to register what exactly it was.

A girl no older than sixteen lay on the ground at my feet, whimpering slightly. I only barely stopped myself from running her through with my dagger. There were few things that startled me, but I had to admit, this one did. This girl was… Was human. A pure human, sitting right there in front of me. A pure human girl wandering alone through the Wyldwood. Somehow, against all odds, she was still completely alive. The only thing registered in my mind was complete astonishment. Hey, ever need to get rid of some awful memories? A human girl flinging herself at you is sure to block them off for a bit. At least, it worked for me.

Maybe it was my expression, or perhaps the fact that I had a dagger at her throat, but the human's eyes started to water. She was breathing heavily I realised, staring wide eyed at me. She was small for a human and thin, with an almost faery-like build. Her skin was pale and fair and smooth, in great contrast to her dark chocolate brown hair that hung down around her shoulders in loose curls. Her eyes, still trained on me in fear, were pale grey with just a tint of blue around the pupil. And though her eyes were scared, her almost too red lips were curved into a defiant snarl.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked once I knew she was no threat, standing in one fluid movement while simultaneously depositing both daggers back into my boots. There were several other questions I wanted answered as well, but that was definitely first. I still couldn't believe I was staring down at a _human girl_. Luckily the many years I spent as a fey kept my expression neutral.

"What's it to you?" the girl snapped, voice wavering slightly. I could tell I intimidated her – but then again, who wouldn't be intimidated? I was Puck, after all. My smirk alone could send shivers down your spine. In fact, I was a bit surprised she hadn't screamed at me and begged for me to leave her alone or something equally as unnecessary.

"You're really not in a position to ask questions," my voice was hard, but a smirk splayed across my mouth. I was curious, I had to admit, as to how she had survived this long in the NeverNever. And why she wasn't crazy or something. And, of course, why fate should decide I be the lucky fey to stumble across her. And really, after everything with the half-summer Princess, I was able to believe just about anything.

"I don't know if I can trust you," the girl amended, slowly sitting up. I just noticed now that she was dressed in a fancy dark red gown, one you would see a fey in. It curved over her figure in a very complimenting way, the furls of the dress hanging off her in a way that looked both perfect and effortless. I almost had to force my eyes off her.

"I didn't kill you, did I?" I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest. I continued to study the girl carefully, wondering if maybe she was a play thing for one of the courts. She was pretty, after all. Perhaps it was a game of the Unseelie – release the mortal girl and see what kills her first. That's exactly the sort of heartless thing they would do.

The girl stared at me, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "My name? My name is…" her face was blank for a second, as if she were concentrating on something. I guessed what she was going to do only a second before she did it.

The girl leapt up suddenly, turning tail and running away from me like a frightened deer. She was fast for a human, but really no match for a fey – especially when she was tripping over her own feet through the deep bushes of the Wyldwood. I caught up to her in no time, grabbing round her waist to halt her movement. Geez, what did she think I was? A satyr? Didn't she know she would have been attacked by now was it not for me? In fact, she should be thanking her lucky stars it was ME that found her and not a goblin or red cap clan!

She turned however, screaming, and started beating her hands against my chest as If I was some sort of hellion.

"Let. Me. Go!"

I held on lightly, just enough that she couldn't squirm away. "Calm down, would you? Hedge wolves must have heard you by now," I sighed, frowning at the forest around us. It took an effort to ignore the odd tingles along my skin where she touched me. Maybe she was a fourth – even an eighth – of a fey? I was a little more than slightly captivated by her. Perhaps she was part nymph? Maybe I was wrong, when I first thought she was fully human. I could tell the majority of her was human, but what if she had just a bit of fey running through her blood? It could explain the weird feelings sitting in my chest. Er, and why she wasn't mad already.

"If you won't tell me who you are, at least tell my why you're here. You do know where you are, right?" I asked wearily, shoving my thoughts aside for the moment. The girl was still pushing against me feebly, trying to escape. She gave up with a sob, tucking her head in her hands. I almost wanted to let her run away, let her sort out her own problems. Maybe the old Puck would have, but after everything… I wasn't quite as willing to send the at-least-mostly-human to her sure death alone in the forest.

"Don't take me back," she finally whispered, sagging against me in defeat. "Not to that horrid place."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

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"I- Excuse me?" I asked, slightly taken aback. I could think of several horrid places in the land of faery. I'd been to nearly all of them. Hell, I'd _created_ some of them.

"Tir Na Nog. That's where _she_ lives," the girl mumbled, sounding truly frightened. I grimaced in sympathy; she must have been one of Mab's play things. Actually, I wasn't sure how she'd managed to get away. One did not simply escape the Winter court, especially when one was at least mostly human.

"Well, lucky I'm from Acadia then," I smiled tightly, though I knew it didn't reach my eyes. This nearly-human almost reminded me of Meghan during the first few days we arrived in the NeverNever; clumsy, recklessly stupid, and quick thinking at the same time. My chest squeezed slightly at the memory and I quickly pushed it away.

"What? No, you can't take me there either!" the girl was suddenly panicking all over again, squirming against my arms.

"I'm not taking you anywhere except maybe the mortal realm!" I growled, glowering at the almost-human. She stopped at that, eyes wide.

"You… you'll really take me back?" she asked, staring innocently into my eyes. I still didn't understand how she possibly stayed alive this long, especially if she was willing to trust any fey she met. Not that I wasn't going to be honest, but still… Many a goblin would take advantage of her. It was kind of sad to me now.

"What do you think I'm going to do? Turn you into a rabbit then chase you through the Wyldwood?" I asked sarcastically, as if I didn't have better things to do. The girl still shivered, though. I sighed, rolling my eyes. We really hadn't gotten far in the conversation.

"Are you going to tell me who you are yet?" I asked impatiently, still keeping an eye on the forest. I could tell several creatures were watching us, though most were wary and didn't want to approach. Which was really for the best, because I'm sure the last thing the human would want to see was me slaughtering a 'leafy puppy dog'.

"My full name is Angelica. My… My friends used to call me Anna," she answered quietly, looking sad all over again. I didn't think I could take more tears – too many bad memories came with those. So I ploughed on without a second thought.

"My full name is Robin Goodfellow. My friends…" I paused, almost chuckling. "Well, everyone calls me Puck."

The look on Anna's face was a mixture of surprise, disbelief and horror. I couldn't help grimacing at that, which once again reminded of Meghan. She must have thought she offended me, because she let out a little gasp of air and said, "I'm sorry. But did you just say you were…?"

"What, you thought only Oberon and Titania came from Shakespeare?" I asked drily, finally deciding it was safe to let Anna go. I stepped away from her, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back against a tree. I could feel my old self slowly coming back, now that the surprise (and grief) was mostly over with. My signature Puck smirk spread across my mouth as I watched Anna study me, still shocked.

"I didn't realize I was so special," I said, raising my eyebrows. That seemed to snap her out of it.

"I just- I haven't been here long, and I'm not used to, well, seeing all these different species and…" she rambled on in an apologetic kind of way. It was kind of cute, the way her brow furrowed when she was embarrassed.

"Species?" I mused, letting out a snort. Well, I suppose_ I_ could turn into several different species.

"Uhm, so, can you actually take me back to the… Human realm, you called it?" Anna asked timidly after a moment, wrapping her arms over her chest. She looked so fragile standing there, as if she was a nimble tree that had stood too long in a storm, and would valiantly keep standing, but might not make another round of wind.

I sighed, a look of mock hurt and regret lighting my face. "Well, I do despise having to disobey my lovely lord and lady, who would surely punish me for letting such a prize slip through their fingers…" A louder laugh escaped my lips then and I flashed Anna another smirk. "Yeah, I'll take you back to good ole' Earth. No-one deserves to face those two."

She blanched slightly at that. "Erm, you mean we're not on Earth-?"  
How many questions was she going to bombard me with? Clearly she hadn't been in faery long. "Nope. An entirely different plane, actually, but you wouldn't understand because the logic behind it isn't logical at all," I grinned, letting a bit of the wild faery show. Anna's eyes, if possible, widened further. Clearly she wasn't too informed on the NeverNever. And I honestly wasn't the best fey to explain it to her…

"Alright. Well, Anna, where on Earth did you live before this unfortunate trip to Faery?" I asked, shifting my weight off the tree and lacing my hands behind my head. I had to grin slightly at the pun, but it didn't look like Anna got it. Or maybe she just didn't find it funny.

"My village was called Goldsborough," Anna started animatedly describing where she used to live. I didn't – couldn't – listen past the first bit, my heart already aching for the girl. I couldn't bring myself to hear about the happy life she used to have, the one that was so obviously long gone. It sounded as if time had passed too quickly; years had gone by, and though she had barely grown in the NeverNever, the world had evolved decades. How am I supposed to tell her that everyone she used to know is long dead by now? How am I supposed to explain that her village was destroyed ages ago, and there was no going back? And how the hell would I try to explain the concept of technology? Why was I here in the first place?

Well, I suppose the last one was obvious. I didn't have it in my newly warmed heart to send Anna to her death. On top of that, she reminded me of Meghan. Maybe it was selfish, but I felt better being around her. That warmth I used to get in the pit of my stomach – that summer fire that used to burn through my veins – was rekindled around Anna. It was kind of pathetic, really, and I knew I would pay for it later, but for now… I was perfectly happy to get a taste of the love that used to make the sun brighter. I was perfectly happy pretending that she could heal my shattered heart. I was perfectly happy pretending she could still get back to her old life, and waiting to crush the little joy she had left right now.

When, exactly, had I become so soft?


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

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I really couldn't bring myself to tell Anna about her village yet. I figured she'd already been through a lot for now, it was probably best if I told her later, once I knew more about the whole situation of her being stuck in the NeverNever. Give her a little more time to be carefree.

"So, how did you get here in the first place?" I asked as we tromped through the Wyldwood. Anna shrugged slightly, frowning. She kept glancing around the forestry as if she was worried winter knights would suddenly pop out and kill us. For all I knew, they might. I wasn't too worried about that though, not after everything I'd been through.

"I… I don't remember," she mumbled. "Sometimes it feels like I've always been here. But I can still remember my family and friends and our village, so I must have come at some point," she trailed off, looking a bit unsettled. I grimaced, feeling sorry for her all over again. Maybe Faery _had_ taken away some of her sanity…

"How did you escape the Winter Court, then?" I asked as gently as I could. This time Anna actually flinched away from me, as if the question had physically lashed out and struck her.

"I don't like to think about it," she whispered, hiding her face with her hair. I decided not to pry – for now, at least. There were more pressing issues to deal with first anyways, such as how I could bring Anna back to the human realm if she wasn't from a time even close to now. Present-day Earth would absolutely drive her crazy, with the grasp of not only technology but new rights and wrongs and social acceptances. In fact, I wasn't even sure how she could talk normally to me. I supposed she picked up on the more modern language being stuck with the fey for so long. It still unsettled me slightly, though, as I wondered about her past and what possibly happened to create this outcome.

We walked in silence for a long time, cutting through some of the thickest Wyldwood forests as I thought about the situation I was in now. At least I knew this place well because Ash and I used to travel here often to hunt for the best prizes and chases. I also knew, though, that we wouldn't walk for long before some sort of fey found us. And sure enough, a deep growling was soon emitting from nearby.

I let out an irritable sigh and quickly drew my daggers, scanning the brush for signs of the fey. Anna, however, let out a shriek and dove behind me. I groaned, knowing now that if whatever was there hadn't known about us before, it did now. I shot her an exasperated look over my shoulder but she paid no attention to me, instead fisting her hands in my shirt and burying her head into my back.

"I can't fight if you're clinging to me like a piskie!" I pointed out harshly. She let go after that and I turned once again to face the growling sounds.

I guess it didn't matter if it knew I was here; I wasn't one for subtlety anyways. "Come out come out, beast-ie!" I said in a sing song voice, stalking forwards. I could still hear Anna breathing loudly behind me.

I darted quickly through the bushes, glancing warily through the trees. The growling continued, coming out almost in a rolling manner, as if this creature was… Laughing at me. I frowned, daggers flashing as I stalked further towards the sounds, wondering what would have the absolute audacity to laugh at Robin Goodfellow. I had quite the reputation around faery and the Wyldwood especially.

Whatever it was, I knew it wasn't weak. I could sense its presence now through the trees; something sinister and dark, hiding in the shadows just ahead of me. I smirked towards the sound, readying myself for a fight.

"You picked the wrong fey to cross paths with," I warned as I got slowly closer.

To my surprise, Anna shouted suddenly from behind me, "Puck! Don't go further!"

I paused, wondering if she saw something. That was impossible, though; I would have seen it as well.

"I know what I'm doing, Anna," I called back to her as I advanced a bit closer. "I'm Robin Goodfellow, after all."

"No, you don't understand. You can't go through there," Anna's voice was firm. I jerked to a stop again, mostly in surprise. She sounded completely serious and her voice had an odd undertone, one that compelled me to believe her completely. I stood there, warily, wondering what to do now.

"Yes, listen to the human. She's wiser than you are sometimes Robin Goodfellow."

I jerked at the familiar voice, eyes widening. I never thought I'd hear him again, unless I was caught in some unfortunate hunt to the death long from now, in which he wished to tear me to pieces. A small shiver ran down my back and I instantly became more alert and apprehensive.

Slowly a big black figure stalked from the shadows, staring at me in an almost amused way. His coat was deeper than night, and his eyes shone a bright, sinister yellow.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the Big Bad Wolf, slowly straightening from my defensive position to regard him carefully. He let his mouth hang open in a grin, his pink tongue lolling from a huge maw filled with thorn sharp teeth that could crush stone.

"It hasn't been long, has it? But I've always known your story was not finished yet Robin Goodfellow," he rumbled.

"You know him?" Anna asked quietly from behind me, sounding nervous and a tad anxious.

"Uh, yeah. You could say we've been through a lot together," I shrugged, shooting him another curious look.

The Wolf padded closer still, sending my gaze to his massive paws, easily the size of my head. I hadn't looked forward to fighting him back when I'd met him with Ash beside me, and I certainly wasn't comfortable fighting him now, not when I had to protect Anna as well – so obviously I hoped he wasn't actually here to hunt us down. What the Wolf had said before, about my story not being finished, worried me as well.

"So, what could you possibly want with me, Wolf?" I asked.

He let out a bit of an impatient snort. "It is as I've said. Your story is not over yet. My contract with the Winter prince ended when we left the lands of forgotten, but I have yet to fulfill another."

This sent another cold feeling down my spine. "What are you getting at, dog-breath?" I asked, almost instantly regretting my choice of words. The Wolf leapt forward at me suddenly, knocking me aside. I got up just as quickly and thrust my daggers in front of me but his gleaming teeth already hung right in front of my face as deeper snarls rumbled from his chest.

"Do not test me, Goodfellow, for I will tear you apart right here and now."

"I thought you mentioned a contract," I shot back with a smirk.

"Don't flatter yourself; It does not concern you," The Wolf growled, retreating a step. He then turned his great, grisly head to face Anna, his eyes glowing an even brighter yellow.

"My contract concerns the human."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

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I automatically stepped in front of Anna, ready again to fight if it came down to it.

"If you want her, you'll have to dance with the devil first," I grinned, a bit maniacally. The wolf was old, I knew, even older than me. He was born from tales of horror and the deepest nightmares of humans. But his stories were slowly fading and I also knew it wouldn't be too long until his power started to weaken. It might have begun already, giving me perhaps at least a better chance of winning than I would have had fighting him two centuries ago.

Still he was quite the formidable opponent, and though the memories I had of our adventure together seemed to dance out of my reach, I could remember once relying on each other as we fought side by side. I also knew that meant very little to the great beast that had lived for so long, so maybe that didn't change matters anyways.

Either way, I was Puck; it would take a lot to erase me from existence and I planned on going down fighting if it would come to it.

The Wolf, however, simply regarded me with a level gaze. "As much as I would enjoy tearing you apart, just to say I was the beast that killed Robin Goodfellow," he started, "I am not here to harm either of you."

I relaxed slightly at that, keeping the same flippant attitude as I straightened and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Then what exactly do you want?" I asked.

"I have already told you this!" The Wolf growled impatiently. "Are you not looking for the Traveller?"

"The what?" I asked blankly, finally deciding it was safe enough to sheath my daggers. I also heard a gulp from behind me, barely audible, but I turned to glance at Anna all the same. Her face had paled slightly and she looked like she wanted to say something though she kept her mouth shut.

The Wolf stared at her for a long second as well, and then shook his coat out while he turned his unnerving eyes back to mine.

"You have never heard of the Traveller?" the Wolf huffed, scowling at us and looking annoyed. "Why are you traipsing through the Wyldwood like a couple of lost goblins, then?"

"Puck is taking me home," Anna murmured from behind me. I grimaced inwardly, guessing what the Wolf was going to say before he did.

"Home? You silly girl," the Wolf let out another rolling growl of a laugh. "Do you have any idea how long you have been stuck in the land of the fey? Time is corrupted here, non-existent in some ways. Your world has advanced far beyond your years."

Anna stared at us both, mouth opened slightly in confusion. She didn't understand what the Wolf was saying. I shot him a look, a warning not to go on, but he blatantly ignored me.

"Your village does not exist anymore. Your friends and family are dead. The world you knew is gone, and a new one has burst forth, one very different than you're accustomed to."

"W-what?" Anna whispered eyes wide. She looked from me to the Wolf and back again, sending more guilty shards into my heart. Her gaze finally rested on me though, still confused, or maybe she just wasn't willing to let the words sink in.

"What is he saying?"

"Look, Anna," I took a step forward, holding out a hand. She backed away just as quickly though, nearly tripping over her own feet.

"You promised you would take me back!" she accused, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. "No, you're wrong! I haven't aged at all, my family is still there, they must be!"

"Anna-" I tried again but it was no use. She turned from me and ran, sobbing.

I whipped around to face the wolf again, scowling. "Why the hell would you tell her that?" I snarled.

The Wolf sneezed, looking indifferent. "You weren't about to. Besides, it's time we got on with the quest. I don't have time to wait for you to tell her everything gently. We need to start looking for the traveller as soon as possible."

"Who is the traveller? You know what, answer that to both of us once I calm her down!" I growled angrily and ran after Anna, hoping she hadn't wandered too far.

"I'll wait here. But if you take too long, I'll come and find you. We don't have time to waste," the Wolf replied loudly, his voice trailing off as I headed away from him into the Wyldwood.

"Anna?" I called, not too loudly in case other fey were listening. It was strangely silent though; I suspected because the Wolf was so close. What right did he have showing up out of no-where anyways? It wasn't long ago we were parting ways, him darting back off into the Deep Wyld to find his own way home from our adventure while we came back through the mortal realm.

"Anna?" I called again, a bit louder this time. Stupid mutt. Didn't he know humans were harder to deal with emotional? Who said we would even go find this 'Traveller' of his anyways? Who or what was it? And why would the Wolf be interested in a human girl?

I heard a sob and stopped suddenly, my thoughts halting as well.

Anna was curled up at the base of a tree, her knees drawn up to her face. She looked so small and fragile then, and a wave of protection rose up suddenly in me, taking me by surprise. I tried to shake it off a bit, unsettled, then slowly wandered over to sit next to her.

"Why… Didn't… You tell me?" she sniffled without looking up. I sucked in a breath, frowning.

"What was I supposed to say? I didn't want to be the one to rip away everything you knew," I muttered, letting out a sigh. "Of course I was going to tell you eventually but I thought you'd been through enough for one day."

"Where were you taking me then?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"I don't know," I said truthfully.

Anna lay there quietly for a second, her sobs dying down. She shuddered slightly, lifting her head up to look at me. A wave of grief washed over me the instant I met her gaze, surprising me. For a second I felt like everything I had known was gone and only a gaping hole of empty promises and cold numbness and confusion was left. As quickly as it had come, though, it was gone, and I was left trying to catch my breath at the intense emotion.

"I think… I think a part of me already knew," Anna mumbled. She rubbed a hand quickly across her face, wiping away some of the tears from her eyes. I resisted the urge to wipe away one she missed.

"I'm sorry," was all I could say. I offered her a light smile though, deciding sympathy wouldn't help anyone right now. "But I'm sure I could teach you about humans now and what it's like. It would take awhile but we could get through it…" I trailed off, not letting my doubt show. Anna didn't look very excited at the prospect, but instead resolved, as if she'd rather that than stay in faery at least.

A deep voice interrupted us again, though, almost making me jump. "Humans spend too much time talking," the Wolf complained, stalking out of the shadows. Anna tensed beside me, shuffling just a tiny bit closer.

"You would not have to worry about learning anything, human, if we would just get on with the quest," he continued, staring at us balefully.

A very brief flare of hope came from Anna, but she seemed to quench it quickly. "What do you mean? What quest?"

The Wolf let out an impatient snort. "Humans need everything explained to them," he growled under his breath. A bit louder he added, "The Traveller. It is an ancient being, one only the oldest of fey will remember."

He added, "Older even than you, Robin Goodfellow," when I was about to ask why I had never heard of this 'Traveller.'

"It was locked away long ago in a special safe hold because of the threats it posed to everything we know. Using the Traveller's power, in the wrong way, could result in absolute chaos everywhere, and the destruction of the world."

"Then why are we looking to find it?" I asked, exasperated.

"Haven't you ever wondered why time never works in the NeverNever?" he asked instead, catching me off guard. "Why the mortal realm continues on in a structured manner, and the sun and the moon of Faery never keep to the same routine?"

I stared at the Wolf, a sudden realization hitting me the moment before he said it.

"The Traveller is an ancient being of time. He can twist it to his liking – fast forward it, pause it… And even take us back."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

* * *

I stared at the Wolf, eyebrows raised. This story he had seemed to get more elaborate every time he added to it, revealing more as to why he was here. It was starting to sound more and more suspicious as well.

"And what do you get out of this, Wolf?" I asked. "Why would you be sent on a wild chase through the NeverNever after grandfather-time?"

The Wolf glared at me, his hackles rising. "You are trying my patience, Goodfellow. I would have ripped you open if I did not feel you would be important for the quest. I must fulfill another contract, I have told you."

"Wait, but going back in time… That would mean I can be with my family, right?" Anna asked, her face brightening a bit.

"You don't understand. If this 'Traveller' has been locked away… Who would even remember where? And there must be a guardian there as well, or some fey would have found him – it, whatever – by now." I ran a hand through my hair.

"Who sent you to do this?" I finally asked, looking back to the Wolf.

"It was your seer," he said after a pause, for once his voice not coming out as a growl. "I made a deal with Ariella. She saw your future too, Goodfellow. She might not have cared for you in the same way she did for the Winter prince but she was concerned about your futures none-the-less."

"Ariella?" I choked out in shock, a pain stabbing at my chest as thoughts of her came back. She had made a deal with the Wolf for me? Even when she wasn't here, she was somehow looking out for me. She had always been the one keeping me and Ash from doing anything too crazy, and helping us when we needed it.

"Do not readily waste her gift," the Wolf said, raising his muzzle slightly.

I looked over at Anna. I could see the question on her face, but she didn't ask me who Ariella was. I was grateful because right now I didn't think I could draw the strength to explain everything to her.

"Anna… Do you want to go after your old life? It won't be easy. We will probably have to journey through hell and back," I said honestly, shooting her a half-hearted smirk. "We could all die."

"I won't die," the Wolf scoffed, shaking out his coat. "I will never die."

I could almost hear a certain cait sith's response to that. Actually… I was almost positive I heard it. _Quite_ positive.

"Everything dies, dog. Even you will fade eventually."

I looked up sharply at a tree above us. The Wolf let out an outraged snarl, instantly seeming to grow twice his size as he glared up at a grey cat perched on one of the branches.

"Do you think the seer would not have also gotten my help?" Grimalkin purred, apparently revelling in the Wolf's outrage. "You will all certainly die if you do not have someone to lead you."

"I'm having a huge sense of déjà vu right now," I muttered, staring up at Grim. Somehow I wasn't too surprised he had popped up. Anna was staring at him too, gaping slightly. Then her mouth split into a grin.

"Hey kitty!" she crooned, making weird sucking sounds. I smirked slightly at Grim's expression. He puffed up to twice his size and let out an indignant hiss, his ears pinned back.

"I would not ever call me a kitty, human, or I will scratch out your eyes while you sleep!" he snarled. Anna actually took a surprised step back, glancing to me with a slightly horrified expression.

"Oh, don't listen to him. Eh, but you probably shouldn't call him that either. His name is Grimalkin. We all call him Grim. Well, I call him a pain in the-" I stopped at his expression.

The cait sith's tail flipped back and forth rapidly as he glared down at all of us, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"I am already regretting this promise," he muttered. "Anyways, are you quite ready to go? We are running out of time."

"No! I won't go, not with a cat ordering me around again. I swore I would snap you in half the next time I saw you," the Wolf growled, his hackles still raised.

"Oh, do try to calm down. At least you don't have to live with that nasty dog stench. Oh wait," Grim shot the Wolf a contemptuous look, his fur puffed up. "You are one."

"I'm not a dog!" the Wolf snarled, leaping swiftly in the air and snapping the branch Grim was previously perched on clean in half. The cat had disappeared. For a second I wondered if the Wolf had somehow managed to actually catch him and quickly get rid of our guide – but then familiar sneezing laughter came from a different tree.

"You can't teach an old dog new tricks, it seems."

The Wolf growled again, bunching his muscles to leap at the new tree, but I cut across them.

"Enough! Who said we were agreeing to this? Anna hasn't decided if she wants to go on this crazy quest yet!" I shouted. Both the cat and the Wolf looked over at me, seeming either a bit surprised or amused. I had surprised myself as well, actually. Usually I was the first to agree to a quest such as this. I just wanted to make sure Anna was alright with it as well, and to make sure she knew exactly what she was getting into.

"I want to go back to my family. No matter what," Anna said with confidence to me, giving me a solemn look. I turned to her.

"You're sure?" I asked seriously. She nodded, and my face split slowly into a grin. I had held it in before, but honestly, the thought of getting to find and hunt down an old powerful being and becoming one of the first fey, at least as of late, to travel back in time..? It appealed to me greatly. It was exactly the sort of wild feat Robin Goodfellow was famous for. The thought of time travel was impossible before now, as well. In fact the concept of time in the NeverNever was baffling, so much so that going back in time had seemed completely absurd. It still did. But, if Ariella had sent the Wolf and Grim… Well obviously this was important for us to do.

Of course this also begged the question of why it was so crucial we send a human back to her home.

I still had loads of questions I wanted answered, but I wasn't sure how many I would get now, or how many I wanted Anna to hear.

"Alright then, cat. Where do we go first?"

Grim stared down at me, his whiskers flicking in amusement. "I'm sure the first person we have to visit will feel ever so lucky you returned so soon."

I stared at him for a second, then felt my face paling slightly. "We have to see the old hag, don't we?" I groaned. "She's going to kill me…" I added, smirking in spite the fact that I should be scared. I supposed because I was Puck I didn't really care about the danger. Actually, I looked for danger half the time. It was sort of a challenge, wasn't it?

"I wouldn't call her a hag to her face, Goodfellow," the cait sith replied with a sniff.

I laughed, feeling a bit of wild glee in the pit of my stomach at the prospect of such a fight. Difficult, probably, but exciting. I supposed it would be weird without ice-boy there, though…

"I'm sorry, but who's the… Erm, 'hag'?" Anna asked curiously. I laced my hands behind my head and let out another laugh.

"Well, none other than a dear old friend of mine," I smirked. "The Baba Yaga witch. Oh, she'll be absolutely thrilled to see me show up at her doorstep again."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Disclaimer - I do not own these characters, I simply made a new story from them for my own and other's enjoyment_**

* * *

The Bone Marsh was just as dismal as I remembered it; grey, shadowed, and damp. I wasn't heavy enough to sink into the marsh – or, at least, I was nimble enough as a fey to avoid the wet spots – but the Wolf sloshed through it without a second thought, splashing murky water over me occasionally. He looked right at home in the misty darkness of the marsh.

Even Anna, as a human, was having difficulties keeping a steady pace and she kept sinking into the muck. I could tell the cat was becoming steadily more annoyed from his position up front, leading us through some of the nastier parts of the Wyldwood.

I was still wary about this entire thing. Both the Wolf and the cait sith had disappeared quickly once we were finished snatching up Ash's new soul from the End of the World, and they had also somehow both found their way back to me - apparently because Ariella had seen something of my future and made deals with both of them.

It was so familiar sloshing through a marsh on some crazy adventure with a human and the cat, and even the Wolf after our last journey. Still everything seemed so different; it was Anna with me, not Meghan. And this could almost be considered _my_ quest now. Before I had simply been there to help because I cared too much for Ash and Meghan, and I couldn't bear to sit somewhere and disregard what they were going through. This time it was tied deeply to me, perhaps as much as it was to Anna.

We had to find the Traveller. The Traveller who, according to the Wolf, was so old not even I knew of him (which I didn't). Who was locked away long ago so no-one would ever be able to retrieve him. An ancient being we were going to find in order to bring a mortal girl back to her own time period.

None of it made sense to me. If it was anyone but Ariella who had sent the Wolf and the cait sith to bring me on this wild chase I would probably have thought they were delusional. Not that I wasn't always up for such a challenge. In fact, even with the trust of a once-close companion, most fey would have denied all of this and refused to go. For me though, it was like dangling a piece of meat in front of a starving dog; I couldn't help myself, I had to take the bait. This was another chance to go down in history, that was for sure. That was, assuming we even made it out of the marshes alive…

"Could-you-stop-splashing-me!" Grimalkin let out an irritated hiss from ahead of us, glaring back at the Wolf with narrowed eyes.

The Wolf grinned, flashing those huge white canines before flicking one of his huge paws down into the marsh and sending a spray of muck towards the cait sith.

He disappeared and popped up somewhere ahead, looking more annoyed than anything.

"Stop rolling around in waste and hurry up," he said coldly, turning tail and trotting gracefully deeper into the darkness of the Bone Marsh. I snickered slightly at the two of them.

"P-Puck?" Anna's quiet voice came from behind me. I turned, a bit surprised to see her farther back than I had thought. She was sunk almost knee deep in mud and panting, holding up the edges of her dress in an almost disgusted manner.

I hurried back towards her, grabbing her hand to help pull her from the ground. It seemed unwilling to release its prey, but I soon had Anna out and onto dry land. She was shaking slightly as I held her, and looked slightly pale.

"Hey, what's wrong? You didn't eat anything did you?" I asked seriously, brushing some of her hair from her face. She shook her head.

"I'm just really… Really tired," she sighed, yawning and leaning into me a bit. I had to half hold her up. I didn't realize before that we had been walking for so long, but now I thought back to it…

"I have forgotten she is not part fey," Grim sighed, appearing in front of us. The Wolf had stopped as well and was watching us impatiently from some ways ahead.

"She's tired," I explained needlessly. "We should rest."

"I suppose. This is not a clever place to do so, though. I would not want to spend the night here if I was a human," the cat sniffed, glancing around the marsh.

I shot him a glare and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine then, don't listen to the cat; no-one ever seems too," he sighed. "Follow me; there's a cave not far from here that we can sleep in while the dog watches the front."

"I can hear you, even here!" came the Wolf's retort from back where he had stopped, though he started making his way over to us.

Anna seemed unable to even hold herself up, though, and she swayed uneasily when we tried walking. With a slight sigh I simply scooped her up bridal style and held her close to my chest. She murmured something about being able to walk, then almost immediately fell asleep in my arms.

We found Grimalkin's cave not long after, cut out into the side of a mountain. It wasn't very big; the Wolf couldn't even fit inside with the rest of us. He glared at the cait sith for it but didn't complain, saying it was probably better he slept outside so he could scare off any nasty fey.

I wasn't very tired myself, and I didn't want to lay Anna on the cold ground, so I sat down and held her in my lap as she slept. For awhile I simply studied her face; she looked very calm and delicate in her sleep, almost like one of those human porcelain dolls. There was something about her that drew my gaze even when I looked away, and once again I wondered if maybe she had some sort of magic in her. I could feel that fire in my stomach again, the one I'd only had brief flares of since I saw her.

"You sense it, don't you Goodfellow?" came the cat's voice from the darkness. I glanced up in surprise at two glowing eyes, narrowing my own.

"Is she completely human?" I asked him seriously.

Grimalkin blinked once, then disappeared deeper into the shadows without giving me an answer. I let out an annoyed sigh, not knowing what to make of that. Why couldn't fey give out a straight answer once in awhile? Or, in Grim's case, ANY answer?

I thought about Anna maybe having just a bit of fey blood in her for awhile, speculating the different possibilities. The closest I could come up with was part Nymph but even that didn't seem quite right. Maybe she was full human, though, and these feelings had nothing to do with her. Then again the cait sith had mentioned it as well…

I eventually started to drift off into an uneasy sleep, sometimes getting flashes of dark dreams, ones where I would be running from something that never fell behind no matter what I did. Voices seemed to whisper at me from the shadows that I could not escape and they would find me wherever I went.

I woke up breathing deeply. My back and chest were oddly cold, from sweat I realized. I glanced around the mostly empty cave in surprise. I _never_ had dreams, let alone ones that could send chills down my spine. Thinking back to the dream it didn't seem all that scary either.

"Puck? Are… You awake?" Anna's whispered voice nearly made me jump. I let out a silent breath of relief, glancing down at her. Stupid, weird dream… Maybe it was just from sleeping in the Bone Marsh. I hoped that was all it was.

"Erm… Am I sleeping on you?" she added after I didn't say anything, blushing suddenly.

I grinned, pushing my thoughts away. "Yeah. I know I'm irresistible and everything, but really?"

She blushed a deeper red and started moving as if to get up but I held her back, shaking my head slightly.

"I'm kidding, I don't mind," I assured her, still smiling. "The floor is freezing anyways."

"Sorry," she mumbled but I just shrugged. We sat in silence for a moment, and I could feel her gaze on my face, but I pretended not to notice. Instead I stared out the cave entrance, scanning the darkness for signs of movement.

"Hey, Puck?" Anna finally said again.

"Hmm?" I looked down, meeting her blue grey eyes. I found that up close that I could make out different coloured blue flecks around her pupil and lining the edge of her eye, creating a beautiful palette of colour. It was extremely captivating.

"I'm really grateful for what you're doing," she murmured. "And I know this is asking so much from you."

I shrugged, grinning. "I'm Puck. Crazy adventures like this is what I do for entertainment."

Anna smiled lightly, opening her mouth to say something more, but she never got the chance. A loud snarl erupted suddenly from outside, echoing through the cave menacingly. I could head snaps and creaks, followed by the long eerie howl of the Wolf… And then the tell-tale cackling of the very witch we were looking for.

I stood in one fluid movement, picking Anna up with me and setting her lightly back on her feet. Then I drew my daggers, narrowing my eyes.

**"**Stay here, Anna. This shouldn't take too long**."**


End file.
